Kinetic - Part Two

Poe tries to complete his mission in Soelea while being besieged by stormtroopers, the Schism, Kylo Ren, and... Rey.

Rated NC-17 for sexual content and language. The smut is strong with this one...

Poe guided the speeder as swiftly as possible, ever vigilant for low-flying craft that could spot them, but grateful that the track they were following was narrow; it was probably almost impossible for anything from up above to see it unless they were right over it. Despite his watchfulness, he found a part of him was still focused on Rey.

The absolute shock at waking to see Kylo Ren standing only a few feet away watching them was still producing adrenaline in his system hours after the incident. His shock had turned to fear, and not just for himself, but for the woman lying in front of him. He had instinctively wrapped his arm around her protectively, which amused him now as he remembered back; when faced with Kylo Ren, Rey had much better odds than he and she would most likely have been the one protecting him.

When he had realized what was happening, and that Ren wasn’t really ‘present,’ his anger exploded. Leia had told him about Rey’s Force connection with Ren not long after Rey herself told Leia. Not knowing Rey that well yet, Poe had been concerned; was there a possibility the First Order could find them through that connection? Leia had assured him that unless Rey told Ren outright where she was, which Leia believe Rey would never do, they were safe. “Besides,” she had added. “Rey is convinced the connection has been broken.”

Rey’s excuse for not telling them Ren was still finding her in the Force eased his anger, but he still felt hurt that she had kept something so important from him. Why he should feel this way, he didn’t understand. While he considered Rey a good friend and was pleased that she considered him ‘family,’ they had made no kind of personal commitment to each other.

Is that why you felt that tinge of jealousy when Ren was looking at Rey so possessively, he asked himself?

He glanced over at Rey, who was scanning the skies as they cruised along toward Galadnt. Her comment about the bed had caught him off guard, but it had also sent a tingle of excitement through his veins. Apparently, she wasn’t content with him just teaching her how to masturbate, he thought wryly.

It was late afternoon when the track they were on widened and soon after they met up with another speeder going the opposite direction. Keeping their hands close to their blasters, they were both relieved to see what looked like a normal human family returning to their home from town; Poe was happy to see an adult man and older boy with the group, and was reminded that the Schism did not control this area. The traffic gradually increased, with both speeders, foot traffic, and carts being pulled by orbak sized quadrupeds Poe knew were called maneas. The road also became much wider and paved. While they saw a few non-human species, the majority of the people they passed were human, and most of them wore the traditional clothing of the local culture, with the men in what Poe would call utilikilts and sleeveless pullovers, the women in longer skirts made from fine but colorful material and soft looking tunics similar to what Rey already wore.

It was just before dusk when they reached the outskirts of Galadnt. More and more residential buildings appeared, some large and fancy looking, but most modest and simple. Huge gardens were found in almost every yard, no matter what the house looked like, and several had people working in them; Poe guessed the growing season here was pretty much year-round. Finally, they rambled into the business sector, and Poe pulled into a parking area next to a large building with a sign that read: The Sleeping Dragon – Hostel and Tapcafe.

Grabbing their packs, they slid out of the speeder and headed inside. The front room of the hostel was cool and dark, and while Poe could tell there was no artificial air-cooling system, the thick walls and the half-dozen fans set strategically throughout the room kept it comfortable. Shades covered the windows that Poe knew were probably opened as soon as the sun set and the outside temperature decreased. Only a handful of people were in the lobby area, and he could see the tapcafe through a door on the far end of the front counter. He walked up to the Rodian that stood behind that counter.

“Greetings,” the green-skinned humanoid said pleasantly. “Can I offer you a room for the evening, or are you here just for dinner?”

“A room would be wonderful,” Rey said, suddenly appearing at his elbow. “With one bed.” She grabbed a hold of Poe’s arm and smiled at him. “We’re on our honeymoon,” she told the Rodian.

Poe glared at her, but didn’t argue. It was probably best they were able to watch each other’s backs, anyway. “Two nights,” he added, counting out credits.

Poe wrote in the register, signing their names as Kes and Reese Lintra, then he grabbed the RFID card the Rodian handed him. Glancing at Rey, he turned toward the staircase on the opposite side of the counter from the tapcafe entrance. “Let’s get settled then come down to eat.”

Rey nodded, a soft smile still on her lips as she continued to hang on to his arm. They walked up the steps together and then turned down the first hallway. “What do you know about honeymoons?” Poe asked as they stopped at the door whose number matched the one on the card. He tapped the card on the locking mechanism and the door slid open soundlessly. He ushered Rey through, then followed.

Rey walked around the room, looking at the modest sized bed, the entertainment center, and the generic jungle pictures that dotted the wall here and there. “They’re for couples to celebrate their official bonding, right?” She walked over to the shade covered window and pulled the insulated screen up; darkness was already overtaking the land, but the city lights were making up for the lack of sun.

Poe dropped his pack on top of the bed and wandered over to the ‘fresher door. He peeked in. “Good, old-fashioned water shower,” he said, nodding. He hated sonic showers.

Rey turned from looking out the window. “Really?” she said, her eyes lit up with excitement. “I love water showers!” She moved over to him with a smile. “We only had communal sonic showers at Niima Outpost,” she told him. “Half the time they weren’t working and they rarely got cleaned.” She looked at him, a bit embarrassed. “Did you know the first time I had a real water shower was on D’Qar?”

Poe smirked at her. “How about a bath?”

Rey’s eyes widened. “Like a bath with water?”

Poe laughed softly. “Yes, with water.”

She frowned. “Isn’t that wasteful?”

“Not when you’re on a planet where it rains every day,” he told her, pushing the ‘fresher door open farther. He watched as Rey spotted the tub, one that he readily admitted was big enough for two. Her mouth dropped open, then she looked at him, a speculative gleam in her eye.

Kriff.

“You take your shower,” he told her, moving away. “I’ll go get us some fresh clothing.” He grabbed her bag and started counting out credits.

“Like what the locals wear?” she asked.

He shrugged. “It will help us blend in better.” He looked at her as she frowned. “Why?”

She shrugged this time. “I’ve never worn a skirt.”

Poe grinned at her. “Neither have I.”

She laughed as he headed out of the room, heading back downstairs to ask where the nearest clothier was. Fortunately, there was one right next door. Poe grabbed a utilitarian kilt, tunic and sandals for himself, another much more feminine cream-colored tunic for Rey, with a high collar and a hood, then selected the first colorful skirt that caught his eye; it had a lot of green in it, and Poe knew Rey loved green.

He paid for the clothing, then rushed back to the room, unsurprised when he found Rey still in the shower. He slipped into the ‘fresher to leave her clothing, intentionally keeping his gaze on the floor and not on the shower, then settled down at the comm station to determine if it was capable of sending an interstellar message. It was. As the water turned off in the ‘fresher, he sent a short, non-descript message to one of the droids in C-3PO’s spy network, just a little something to let the Resistance know they were still alive and on Soelea. As soon as he finished, he heard the ‘fresher door open and he turned, more than a little excited to see Rey in her new outfit. He wasn’t disappointed.

Her hair was loose and wet and she was finger combing it as she stepped into the main room, her expression uncertain. He smiled at her and she smiled back.

“Thank you,” she said, bringing a hand down to sweep along the skirt. “I like the color.”

“Matches your eyes,” he told her.

“Really?” she asked, looking embarrassed now. “I’ve never really looked at my eyes, I guess.”

“I have,” he said softly. Then he cleared his throat and jumped up from his seat. “I’ll take a quick shower and get changed, then we’ll go eat something other than rations.” He headed into the ‘fresher.

“Take your time,” Rey called out after him.

He did mean to hurry, but like Rey, he ended up spending more time under the water than he had originally expected to. After the last couple of days, it felt so good!

Finally, he pulled himself out, dried himself off, shaved, and got dressed in his new garb. He exited the ‘fresher with more than a little trepidation. Rey was sitting in the seat he had vacated, but her eyes immediately fell on him as he re-entered the room. She looked him up and down slowly, a soft smile on her lips.

“Nice legs, Dameron,” she said, her voice huskier than usual.

He rolled his eyes and laughed. “I do have to admit, it has a certain freedom to it,” he told her. The kilt ended just below his knees, leaving the rest of his legs bare. Knowing his boots would look ridiculous, he had opted for sandals similar to what the local men wore; Rey’s half boots still looked good with her outfit. “Let’s go.”

An hour later, Poe watched as Rey happily finished her meal. He hadn’t really been impressed with the food, but knowing meals like this were still a rarity in Rey’s world, he hadn’t complained, not wanting to ruin her enjoyment of it. After their server took the empty plates away, she looked at him seriously.

“How do we find the others?” she asked.

“I memorized the directions to their center of operations,” he told her. “But I also sent a very short message to the Resistance letting them know we are okay and here, so they may end up finding us before we find them.” He shrugged. “If we don’t hear anything by tomorrow night, we’ll seek them out.”

Rey nodded, and they sat in comfortable silence for a while. Finally, she tilted her head at him. “Tell me about Yavin IV?”

“Well, it’s not much different than Soelea in climate,” he told her. “Different flora and fauna, of course.”

Rey nodded. “That’s why you’re so comfortable in the jungle.” She paused. “Are there a lot of people there?”

“Not really. I don’t think there are any settlements with more than a few hundred people. Mostly humans,” he added. “Though there was a group of Rodians that had moved in not far from the Grand Temple when I was there last, just before I joined the Resistance.”

“How did your father take to your joining the Resistance?” she asked. “Leia said he was a war hero?”

Poe snorted. “He wasn’t happy, but he wasn’t surprised, either,” he told her. “I think he was more surprised I hadn’t done it sooner. Leia approached me as soon as she heard I had resigned my commission with the Republic Navy.”

“Why didn’t you?”

He paused. “I had a rebellious streak and made some very bad decisions after leaving the Republic.” He swallowed harshly. “I lost someone very close to me and I felt like I needed to… I don’t know… forget?” He shrugged. “Fortunately, Leia was still waiting patiently for me to change my mind.”

Rey looked sad. “And now you’ve lost even more people close to you.”

“Such is war,” he whispered.

They were silent for a while, then their server came up to the table, a bottle of Chandrilan Raava in his hands. “A gift from us to you, for your honeymoon,” the man said with a smile.

Poe accepted the bottle as if it was an explosive. “Thank you,” he told the man.

He looked at Rey, who was smiling. She bit her lip, then shrugged. “Let the honeymoon begin,” she said softly.

Was he going to let this happen? Poe asked himself.

Yes, he answered. Yes, he was.

******

“How are your stitches?” Poe asked as they re-entered their room.

Rey smiled at the question; he was stalling, she thought. After Poe had accepted the bottle of liquor from the server, Rey had stood and grabbed his free hand, dragging him out of the tapcafe and up the stairs to their room. He hadn’t resisted, but the look on his face was a bit panicked. He knew this was going to happen, but it scared the hell out of him.

“They’re fine,” Rey answered, turning to face him as he set the bottle down on the side table. “I put a fresh bacta patch over them when you were in the shower.” She stepped into him, placing her hands on his chest. “You don’t need to worry about my wound tonight.”

She moved into his space, took a deep breath, then kissed him. Again, he didn’t resist, but he didn’t encourage her, either, and Rey just touched his lips long enough with her own to recognize how soft they were. She pulled back to look at him, finding his dark eyes intent on her. She moved in again, giving him another soft peck. Then another. She hoped she was doing this right!

Suddenly, he moved, opening his mouth and aligning it with hers, gently pushing his tongue inside, finding hers and sliding his sensuously along it. Rey shuddered, surprised by the action but immediately aroused by it as well. She moaned softly and brought her arms around his neck, allowing her tongue to follow and be guided by his more experienced one. She grabbed his thick hair and fisted it in one hand, reveling in the fact that she was finally touching it, and that it was indeed as soft as it looked.

He wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her up against him. She whined again, loving the feel of his solid form tight against hers. She knew she wanted to feel her naked skin against his. Now.

Leaving his hair, she dropped her hands down and found the hem of his tunic. The plain tan-colored shirt matched the brown kilt he was wearing. Such boring colors, she thought. He looked much better in blue or teal or even the orange of his flight suit. She started tugging at the material, trying to pull it up, but his lips and tongue were a bit distracting.

When he realized what she was attempting to do, he pulled his mouth away from hers. “Whoa,” he said softly. “Slow down.”

Rey had more room to work as his arms loosened. “No. I don’t want to slow down,” she argued. “We can go slow the next time.”

He chuckled softly, but then gently grabbed her arms. “No, we need to go slow now, Rey,” he told her. “This is your first time and I want to make sure it’s as perfect as possible.”

Rey paused and looked at him, his expression open and sincere. She felt tears well in her eyes and she gave him a tremulous smile. “Okay.” Then she stepped back away from him, grabbed the hem of the lovely new tunic he had bought for her, and pulled it up and over her head. Her smile grew as she saw his eyes widen and his mouth open in astonishment. As she tossed the shirt gently onto the chair, he shook his head, his mouth quirking as his eyes dropped to her bare breasts.

“That’s not going slow.”

“Yes, it is,” she told him, moving back into his space and once more reaching for his tunic. “If I was going fast, I would have removed it the second we got into the room.” She tugged the shirt upward and this time he didn’t resist, raising his arms to help her. She tossed it on top of hers, then took a shuddering breath as she moved in to sweep her hands along his bare chest. The tips of her fingers touched the ring he wore (his mother’s ring, Finn had told her when she showed curiosity about it), then she brushed them over his nipples, which hardened at her touch. He shivered and closed his eyes.

“Why do you keep this hidden?” she asked, her appreciation apparent in her voice. His bronze skin was lovely, and his pectorals and abdomen were just muscular enough to show he wasn’t a stranger to hard physical work and exercise. His chest was hairless, but dark, soft looking hair grew just below his navel and disappeared under the waistband of his kilt. “I know some of the other pilots remove their shirts when they exercise,” she continued. “You never do.”

He shrugged, not looking at her.

“You’re beautiful,” she whispered.

His eyes met hers then, and the look in them took her breath away. He cupped her face in his hands and moved in to kiss her again, devouring her with his lips and tongue. As she reciprocated, his hands dropped to her chest, cupping her small breasts, his thumbs running over her nipples with the lightest of touches. She flinched and pulled away, laughing.

“You’re ticklish,” Poe said, a smile blooming on his face.

Rey felt her face heat, and she bit her bottom lip. “Is that bad?”

Still smiling, he moved back into her, cupping her breasts once more. “Not at all,” he told her. “It just means I’ll have to use a firmer touch.” This time he covered each breast with his hands, palms over her nipples, squeezing them firmly.

Rey gasped as instant arousal swamped her, causing her heartbeat to speed up and a now familiar wave of moisture to flow from between her legs. She gripped his arms just above his wrists and moaned, “Oh, yes!”

Poe continued to fondle her breasts as he moved in once more, this time bypassing her lips to spread searing, open-mouthed kisses on her jaw, her cheek, her neck. Rey’s head lolled back as she absorbed the feelings flowing through her. How had she never known how amazing if felt to be touched like this, she wondered? Because even now, she answered herself, this man was the only one she could ever imagine making her feel this way.

For long moments, they stood, topless, touching and kissing and learning each other, until finally Poe gently pushed her toward the bed. “Leia’s gonna kill me,” he whispered.

“She doesn’t need to know,” Rey whispered back. “No one needs to know.”

The back of Rey’s knees hit the edge of the bed and she stumbled a bit. They both laughed softly, then Poe kissed her one more time. “Lie down,” he told her, his voice rough.

She allowed herself to fall down onto the bed, scooting herself back so her feet were off the floor. Poe didn’t waste any time and knelt to remove her half-boots. Then he reached for the tie on the waist of her skirt. He carefully pulled it loose and brought his fingers under the waistband, tugging gently. Rey lay down completely and lifted her pelvis, allowing him to pull the skirt over her hips and down her legs. She was not wearing any underwear, as her one pair was with the rest of her clothing, being cleaned by a valet droid. She started breathing fast and swallowed nervously, staring up at the ceiling. She had never been one to worry too much about modesty, but she had learned early on to cover herself, both to protect herself from the sun of Jakku, and to make herself less of a target for rapists and defilers. No one had ever seen her naked.

Until now.

“You are so beautiful.” Poe’s husky voice brought her attention back to him. He was kneeling again, his face hovering over her thigh, over the injury he had stitched up just a few short days ago. He waited until she made eye contact with him, then he deliberately brought his lips down to the bacta patch and kissed it. Still watching her carefully, he started trailing kisses down her leg to her knee, where a series of white scars crisscrossed just to the side of her kneecap. He kissed them, using his tongue to tenderly lave the area.

She had been about thirteen years old when that injury had occurred. She had fileted it open on a piece of metal in an old Imperial shuttle she had been scavenging in. It had bled horribly and had taken forever to heal, as every time she walked, the knee bent, re-opening the wounds. She had finally devised a splint to keep her leg straight, but it had been a challenge to continue scavenging. There had been no one to stitch it up. No bacta to help it heal faster. Just her to keep it clean and wrap it tight. And certainly no one to kiss it, admire it, treat it like a badge of honor.

Poe continued, softly kissing his way up her body. She shuddered when he placed a brief but wet kiss on that extra sensitive area between her legs, and then continued up along her ribcage. She felt as well as heard him as he mumbled, “You’re too skinny, Rey. You need to eat more than loloberries.”

She giggled, then gasped as his mouth reached her breast. Her breath came in short pants as his mouth surrounded her nipple, his tongue circling it. Suddenly, his hand was between her legs, his thumb toying with the super sensitive part that he had just kissed in passing. One of his fingers entered her, just like last night, and Rey instinctively spread her legs, welcoming the intrusion. He responded by moving his mouth to her other nipple, sucking on it lightly, and then adding another finger to her pussy. He started pumping his fingers in and out of her gently, and she started wriggling, wanting more. Blindly, she reached for the belt of his skirt.

He stopped sucking her nipple so suddenly there was a popping sound as he disengaged. He brought his free hand up to grab her hands. “Not yet,” he told her.

“I know that what’s under there wants out, Poe,” she told him, her voice wispy.

He grinned. “Oh, it does indeed,” he told her. “But it’s not coming out until you are ready.” He twisted the fingers he had buried in her a bit, and she gasped.

She looked at him, suddenly feeling vulnerable. “It’s going to hurt, isn’t it?”

“I’m going to try my best to make sure it doesn’t, Sunshine,” he told her seriously. “But yeah, it might hurt.”

She nodded and licked her lips nervously. “It’ll be worth it.”

He gave her a crooked smile, then leaned over her again, one knee on the bed, and began kissing her. He continued pumping her with his fingers, and she felt her hips move in rhythm with him, matching him. He stopped for a moment, removing his fingers and bringing his hand up to his face. Keeping eye contact with her, he put his fingers in his mouth and sucked on them. Rey watched wide-eyed, unable to explain why seeing him do that made her even more excited. Smiling wickedly at her, he brought his fingers back down and pushed them inside her once more, and her body responded with a flood of more fluid. “Yes!” Poe hissed. “Good girl!”

Rey let out a soft squeal at his praise, and he responded with another kiss. She became aware of the ring he wore hitting her on her sternum, warm and solid. And she felt its absence as he pulled back, moving as if to stand.

“No!” she said sharply, reaching for the ring and the chain it hung on, grabbing it and wrapping her fingers around it tightly. “Don’t go!”

Grinning again, he wrapped his own hand around hers, “I’m just ready to release…” he paused, as if considering what to say. “What you’ve been wanting,” he finished.

Feeling embarrassed, Rey let go of the chain.

Poe stood, his eyes soft and a smile still playing on his lips. “Move up further on the bed,” he told her as his hands went to his belt.

Rey scooted over and pulled herself completely onto the bed, never taking her eyes off of Poe as he undid his belt and started pushing down the kilt. It dropped to the floor at his feet and Rey learned that Poe must also have his underwear with the valet droid. She trembled as her eyes focused on his manhood. She had seen penises before, of course, on various species, but she had never wanted to see them, and in most cases left the vicinity as soon as possible. This time, she had no desire to run, and she couldn’t stop staring. How was he going to fit in her, she wondered? What was standing stiff and proud for her was much thicker and longer than his fingers.

“Rey?”

Poe’s voice brought her attention back to his face.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes concerned and kind. “Do you want this?”

She glanced back down at his cock, then back up at him. She smiled softly. “Yes,” she told him. “So much yes.”

With worry still filling his eyes, he nodded. He slipped the leather sandals he wore off of his feet and kneeled on the bed, crawling over to her. He placed one knee in between her legs and lowered his body over hers. “You’ll tell me if you want me to stop, right?” he asked as he braced himself on his elbows over her. “I’ll stop. I promise.”

She nodded. “I know you will.” She hoped dearly she would never feel the need to stop him. Her whole body was thrumming and she could feel her heartbeat in her throat. She reached up and brought her hands behind his shoulders, loving the feel of his heated skin. “Poe, please,” she told him. “I want you. I want you so much.”

He lowered his head and began kissing her again, and she opened her mouth and met him with her tongue. She felt him shift and knew he was reaching down to grab his erection with one hand. She began to spread her legs, but one of them ran into his knee, and she couldn’t move it over any more. He didn’t seem to realize her quandary, and she quickly realized why when she felt the tip of his penis against her pussy. She focused on what he was doing down below as his lips once more trailed over her cheek and down her jaw to her throat. He was using his hand to move his cock along her folds, not only spreading her juices all over her nether lips, but covering his member with it as well. She shifted her hips upward, knowing instinctively that she wanted him to penetrate her as soon as possible, but remembering his words about making sure she was ready. She sure felt ready!

Finally, he seemed to decide she was as prepared as she could be. He moved his other leg, bringing that knee in so that both of his legs were now between hers. She spread her thighs and raised her knees slightly as he lowered himself into the cradle of her hips. With his hand still holding his cock, he slowly and deliberately pushed it in between her folds.

The feel of him entering her was different than when he used his fingers. He was so thick, and the pressure was intense, but not painful. She was so wet, she could feel how easily he slid into her body, and she tilted her hips up a little to accommodate him even more. He groaned as he sank into her further, and she whined in response, looking up at him. He had stopped kissing her, and his eyes were closed as he seemed to be focusing all his attention on his penetration. She was gripping his shoulders and realized suddenly that her nails were digging into his skin. She loosened her fingers just as a sharp pain caught her off guard. She gasped, and Poe immediately dropped his head, burying his face in her neck.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”

The pain quickly eased, and she felt her body, which had tensed up at the moment of hurt, relax once more. Again, the pressure caused by his invasion built as he continued to push into her, and she smiled as she let the pleasure it caused erase the memory of the pain. She brought her knees up more, so that her thighs were gripping his hips, and he lowered himself almost completely on top of her, wrapping one arm under her shoulders and bringing the other up above her head on the pillow so he could stroke her hair. He raised his head to look at her, and the intensity of his gaze was stronger than anything she had ever seen from him before.

He searched her face. “Good?” he asked softly.

Still trying to catch her breath, Rey nodded. “So good.” She licked her lips, and he seemed to take that as an invitation, lowering his head to kiss her. As he did so, his hips began moving. Slowly. Firmly. Purposefully.

Slowly he slid in and out of her, his movements small but profound. The friction felt unbelievable, and every time he pushed in, he rubbed right up against that sensitive spot at the top of her folds; she was quickly learning how very important that area was. He filled her so full she honestly believed he had to have stretched her to fit inside. Like a glove, she thought. She ran her hands along his shoulders and upper back, vaguely feeling his ring against her sternum, pressed between them. As his kisses began to dance across her face, she became aware of the noises she was making. Embarrassed, she bit her lip, trying to stifle her reaction to the astounding pleasure she was feeling.

Poe began to speed up, his thrusts becoming harder, his strokes longer. She felt a scream well up in her throat and tried to keep silent. He looked at her, frowning. “Don’t hold it in, Sunshine!” he exclaimed. “Remember? I need to hear how I’m making you feel. There’s no reason to be quiet here.”

As if his words had released a pressure valve, Rey allowed her cry to escape.

He smiled a thoroughly devilish smile. “Good girl! Let me hear you, Sunshine.”

Rey continued to whine and moan as his movements became even faster. She brought her feet up, hooking her heels around his thighs, and tried to match his thrusts with her own. Before she knew it, her breath caught in her throat and the amazing rapture she had first experienced last night roared through her again. A sharp scream escaped her throat as she arched her back, spasms undulating through her entire body. Poe had stopped moving, and when she was finally able to focus, she saw him leaning above her, smiling. He glanced off to the side, then looked back at her, his eyes bright with passion but still warm and affectionate.

As her body seemed to sink down into the bed, Poe lifted his upper body more fully off of her. She realized with a start that he was still hard and hot, and still buried deep inside her. He reached down with his right hand and grabbed her scarred knee. Gently, he pulled it upward. She began to pant as the movement caused a change in the angle of their joining, bringing her focus completely on her lower body again. He brought his arm under her knee, then placed his hand back on the bed and leaned over her once more, stretching her knee toward her armpit.

“Again!” he whispered harshly, and he began to pump in and out of her, harder than before. His strokes were long and deep, and the slapping sound their bodies made as he bottomed out made her arousal shoot out of control once more.

“Oh, Kriff!” she swore.

With another wicked grin, Poe responded. “Why my dear Jedi! I didn’t know you swore!”

“Ungh! Poe!” She squeezed her eyes tight and arched her neck.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“Don’t you dare!” she gasped. She could feel it coming, and it was even stronger than the last time.

“Awwwww!” she wailed as her second orgasm hit, powerful and long and so very good.

As she began to come down, she heard Poe’s own cries. “Fuck! So fucking good! Aw, Sunshine! You’re gonna kill me!”

She opened her eyes to see his face, eyes scrunched shut, mouth open as he softly cried out. As she felt the warmth of his ejaculation fill her, she recognized a moment of triumph knowing that it was she making him feel this way.

And she knew that she was irrevocably, unconditionally, and unabashedly in love with Poe Dameron.

******

When Poe finally started coming to his senses, after what he believed was quite possibly the most powerful orgasm he had ever had, he realized he was lying with almost all of his body weight on top of Rey. He pushed himself up on his elbows immediately, looking down at her with concern. But it was unwarranted. Rey slowly opened her eyes, and as her unique hazel gaze met his, she smiled. Slowly, she brought her arms from where they had fallen lax from his shoulders and stretched them up above her head. Arching her back, she sighed in pleasure.

He couldn’t help smiling back. He gave her a soft kiss, then slowly, carefully, eased out of her. They needed to get cleaned up, he thought. “We need to…” he stopped. He had an idea.

She frowned at him, confused by his cut off sentence. Giving her another peck on the lips, he rolled off of her. “I’ll be right back!”

“Wha-?” Rey watched as he stood on somewhat shaky legs and headed for the ‘fresher. He flipped on the light and headed right for the tub, turning on the tap. He adjusted the water flow so that it was more hot than cold, then looked on the shelf next to the tub. He grabbed a jar of foaming bath salts and opened it, smelling them. They were cheap and the scent wasn’t strong, but it wasn’t unpleasant, either. He scooped up two handfuls and added them to the water. Then he headed back into the bedroom.

When he looked over at Rey, he saw her sitting up in the bed staring wide-eyed around the room. He looked around as well, a grin slowly forming on his face. Every picture was askew, the window shade that she had opened earlier in the evening was down, the remote for the entertainment center was on the floor, as were the few decorative knick-knacks that had graced the console and the end tables. The bottle of Raava also lay on the floor, its black glass fortunately hard to break.

Rey’s large eyes turned to him. “Did I do this?” she whispered.

Poe nodded. “Yep.” He had watched it happen.

She took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry.”

Poe laughed softly and walked toward her. “No need to be sorry,” he told her, reaching for her with both hands. “Nothing’s broken.” As she reached back for him, grasping his hands with her own, he pulled her gently off the bed and onto her feet. “I take it as a huge compliment that I can make you completely unaware you’re using the Force.”

She huffed a laugh as he led her to the ‘fresher. “Now, let’s get cleaned up.” He watched her carefully as they entered the room, and as her smile grew, he let her go to turn off the water, feeling the temperature as he did so. “I figured you would prefer it hot. I know you don’t like to be cold.” He turned to the shelf in the corner and grabbed a couple of towels and two washcloths, setting them down next to the tub. “Go ahead,” he told Rey, nodding his head toward the water. “Get in.”

He watched as she carefully stepped into the steaming, foaming water, gasping as she quickly lowered herself in.

“Too hot?” he asked.

She shook her head vehemently. “No!”

He laughed, then had another idea. “I’ll be right back,” he said again. This time she just nodded her head, her eyes already half-closed and her expression blissful. Poe went back into the main room where he snatched up the bottle of Raava off the floor, then grabbed two of the disposable glasses the hostel supplied. He entered the ‘fresher again, setting the glasses on the sink and opening the bottle. Rey opened her eyes and watched him. Filling both glasses with the dark red liquor, he glanced at her. “Nothing fancy, but it’ll work.” He handed her a glass, then carefully lowered himself into the water opposite her with his own glass in hand.

He watched Rey take a sip and her eyebrows rose in shock. “This is good,” she said.

“Why the surprise?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I don’t usually like alcohol.” She took another sip and the corner of her mouth curled up. “Or maybe it’s just the sex talking.”

Poe snorted, then started drinking from his own glass.

“So,” Rey started, and her tone made Poe tense up. “Is this what a real honeymoon is like?”

Swallowing what was in his mouth, Poe swore he felt his face heat, and not due to the hot water they were sitting in. “Uhm, yeah,” he answered. “I guess.” He shrugged. “I’ve never had one, so…”

Rey contemplated him with half-closed eyes. “Have you ever considered it?” she asked. “Bonding with someone?” Suddenly, she sat upright, her eyes wide. “I’m sorry. That’s a really personal question and you don’t need to answer it!” She set the glass in her hand on the floor next to the tub. “I’m going to stop drinking, now.”

Poe couldn’t help but laugh at her discomfiture. “It’s alright,” he told her, relaxing again. This was Rey. He trusted her to know everything about him. “And the answer is no,” he continued. “I’ve never seriously considered marrying anyone.”

She also relaxed again, leaning back once more. She glanced at the ring around his neck. “Your parents were married, though?”

He nodded. “Yeah. They officially married after the war was over, though I think they considered themselves married as soon as they found out I was on the way.”

Rey smiled softly, still staring at the ring. “Do you ever take that off?” she asked suddenly.

He grabbed the ring and held it in his fingers. “I used to take it off whenever I headed out on certain missions,” he said. “I used to think that I would rather die with it on than be captured and have it taken from me while I was still alive.”

“You didn’t have it on when the First Order captured you, did you?” she tilted her head. “When you and Finn escaped together?”

“Thank the Force, no!” he exclaimed. “But since then…”

“Since then?”

He sighed. “I kinda think of it as my good luck charm now. I don’t take it off at all anymore.”

“Where did you keep it when you went to Jakku?”

He smiled. “BB-8 had it.”

Rey looked at him askance. “Wait? BB-8 was carrying both the map and your ring?”

He nodded.

“You really do trust him,” she said softly.

“With my life.”

Rey nodded, looking down and letting her fingers run along the surface of the foamy water. “So, you’ll die with that ring on, huh?”

“Well, I hope not,” he argued.

She looked up from the water.

“I still hope to give it to my future spouse,” he explained.

She gave him a crooked smile. “Why Commander! I didn’t know you were such a romantic.”

“Really?” he responded, his eyebrows high. Setting his own glass on the floor, he made a sweeping movement with his hand, indicating the bath and the drinks.

Rey rolled her eyes. “All right. You are an incurable romantic.”

“I am,” he nodded. “Now turn around.”

“What?”

“Turn around and scooch back,” he told her.

With a bit of awkwardness, she did as he asked, and he spread his legs as she slid back toward him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up close so her back was up against his front. His already half-erect cock nestled up against her lower back. Slowly, he felt her body relax into his and her head sank back onto his shoulder.

They sat like this quietly for a while until she suddenly asked another question, one she had already asked him before.

“Poe?”

“Hmmmm?”

“Why do you call me Sunshine?”

He took a deep breath. “It’s silly.”

“Tell me.”

He sat silent for a while. “When I first saw you on Crait, lifting those boulders and saving the Resistance, you were backlit by the sun,” he revealed. “All I kept thinking was you were a ‘Rey of Sunshine’.” More silence. “It’s stupid, I know.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think it’s stupid,” she argued. “Now I need to come up with a good nickname for you.”

“Oh, Kriff, please don’t!”

Rey laughed and turned her head to look at him. “Oh, come on!” she said. “I’m sure you’ve had plenty of nicknames before.”

He rolled his eyes.

“Like what?” she pushed.

“Flyboy,” he told her.

“How original,” she snorted.

He licked his lips. “Hot Dameron.”

Rey’s laugh was giddy. “Well, at least that one is true!”

“I don’t need a nickname,” he told her, smiling. He loved her laugh so much.

She shook her head. “Nope,” she said. “I’m going to come up with one for you,” she determined. “One that makes you feel as special as ‘Sunshine’ makes me feel.” She lay her head back again and yawned.

Feeling his heart swell, Poe nudged her. “Let’s get to bed.”

She nodded. Each grabbing a towel, they slipped out of the tub, Poe letting it drain and flipping off the light as they both moved into the main room. Climbing into bed, they both disposed of their towels and Poe curled up behind Rey, reminding him how very well they fit together with their bodies spooned. Within minutes, Rey was asleep.

Poe lay awake for quite a while, breathing her in and trying to memorize the feel of her pressed against him as she was. When they left here and went back to the rest of the Resistance, to Leia, this had to stop. He could not face Leia’s disappointment again if she found out he had seduced her innocent Jedi. Besides, Rey was so young, with so much ahead of her. She was bound to find someone more suitable in the future, someone her age, who had the same ideals and was far less jaded that he. This was only temporary.

It didn’t matter that he wanted this ‘honeymoon’ to be real. It didn’t matter that he had already envisioned Shara Bey’s ring on Rey’s hand.

It didn’t matter that he had fallen positively, thoroughly, and stupidly in love.

******

When Rey opened her eyes, she found herself standing naked in the middle of the jungle. It was night and it was pouring rain. The rain was warm on her bare skin, almost hot, and it felt amazing. As she lifted her face to it, she knew somehow that she wasn’t on Soelea, but that this was Yavin IV. Poe’s home.

“Sunshine?”

She smiled as she heard his voice behind her and brought her head around, her body following. “Dance with me, Poe!” she said as she turned.

Only it wasn’t Poe standing there. Dark clothing drenched by the rain, his black hair dripping, his eyes tortured, stood Ben Solo.

“Rey?” he whispered, his voice desperate.

Despite the warm rain, Rey suddenly felt chilled. She looked around, searching for Poe.

A loud knocking sound jolted her awake, and she found herself once more in bed in the hostel in Galadnt. The warm body behind her also jerked at the soft pounding coming from the door, and as Poe sat up and pulled himself out of the bed, Rey immediately missed his warmth; she was still cold from the dream.

As Poe padded naked to the door, Rey looked around the room, knowing it had indeed been a dream, not Kylo Ren himself ‘visiting’ through the Force. A part of her was disappointed; she wouldn’t have minded him seeing her wrapped in Poe’s arms again, this time naked. She turned toward Poe as she drew the thin sheet up to cover her breasts, tucking it under her armpits.

“Master Listra?” said a man’s voice on the other side of the door.

“Yes?” Poe responded, not opening the door. He glanced back at Rey.

“I’m so sorry to disturb you,” the man continued. “But there is a man here who says he is a friend of yours. He said he knew you were planning on visiting him today, but he decided to come here instead and have brunch with you and your wife.” There was a pause. “I didn’t want to give him your room number, just in case he was lying.”

Rey glanced at the chrono, a bit shocked to see that it was mid-morning.

“Thank you,” Poe answered. “What does he look like?”

“Dark skinned,” the hostel host said. “Long hair kept in a braid down the middle of his back.”

Poe nodded. “Yes, that does sound like my friend,” he said. “Let him know we’ll be down in a bit.”

“Of course!” the manager said, then left.

Poe turned back toward Rey. “Jackson,” he told her with a grin. “Our Resistance contact.”

“Have I met him?” Rey asked. He didn’t sound familiar, but she had met so many new people since joining the Resistance.

Poe reached for his kilt, which was still on the floor. “No. He, Willow, and Arely have been on the move for over two years, starting various Resistance cells on different planets.” He slipped the skirt on over his hips. “They’ve been here on Soelea for about five months now.”

Rey watched him cover himself with disappointment. “I guess the honeymoon’s over.”

Poe smirked at her as he buckled his belt. “Don’t be too hasty,” he told her. “From what I understand, Jackson and the others don’t have a super large apartment. Depending on what we find today, we may end up staying here again tonight.” He paused, then said softly, “I paid for two nights. Might as well take advantage.”

Rey shivered at the look in his dark eyes, but it was a pleasant feeling. With a soft smile of her own, she slipped out of the bed and searched for her own clothing scattered on the floor. “We should probably straighten up the room,” she said as she glanced around.

“Why?” Poe growled as he grabbed up his tunic. “You’ll just mess it up again tonight.”

Rey paused in pulling on her own skirt and considered him, her eyebrows raised, but Poe didn’t look at her. She continued watching him as they dressed until finally, when he was slipping his feet into his sandals, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. His own eyebrow rose as he focused on her. “What?”

She smiled softly and shook her head. “Nothing.” He had all but admitted he expected them to have sex again tonight; there was no sense in making him say it.

Once they were fully dressed, they both put on their blasters, which they hadn’t bothered with the night before at dinner, knowing they were staying in the building. This time, however, they were most probably heading back out into the city. Due to the fact that they were both wearing skirts, they couldn’t buckle the thigh straps on the holsters. That wouldn’t be a problem, Rey thought, unless they had to run or they got into a quick-draw style gunfight, which Rey had only ever heard about in stories. Once more finger-combing her hair, not wanting to take the time to tie it up, Rey followed Poe out the door and back down the stairs.

Upon entering the tapcafe, a handsome dark-skinned man rose from a table in the corner. His smile was blindingly white as he looked at Poe. “Kes!” he said, his voice booming.

Poe grinned back. “Jackson!” he responded, and the two men gave each other a brief hug. Poe stepped back and turned to Rey. “Jackson, this is my wife, Reece.”

The man nodded and he reached out a hand toward her. As she accepted the handshake, he said, “I have heard a lot about you! I am so glad to finally meet you!”

Rey nodded and smiled. She was still a bit uncomfortable meeting new people, but Poe obviously trusted this man and she did not sense any deceit, so she tried to relax. “Thank you,” she said softly.

Jackson nodded toward the table, which was already full of various foods and a pitcher of meiloorun juice. Rey’s mouth began to water.

The three of them sat down, Rey next to Poe and Jackson across from them, and began helping themselves to the food. There were only a couple other patrons in the café, and the staff disappeared as they began eating.

“So, how are you liking Soelea so far?” Jackson asked in a pleasant voice. Rey could tell he was keeping his eye on the other diners.

“Well, we’ve seen more than we planned,” Poe told him. “Our speeder broke down not far from Moonbright. We hiked quite a way before we caught a ride.” Poe shrugged. “I guess this Schism doesn’t offer taxi services.”

Jackson nodded. “Ah! You had a run in with the Schism?”

“More than one,” Rey said softly as the older couple on the other side of the room got up to leave.

“We’ve also been avoiding the First Order,” Poe added, his voice also quiet now. “What the hell are they doing here?”

Jackson snorted. “Believe it or not, they were here for a meeting with the local magistrate. He wants to arrest the leaders of the Schism and send them to a First Order Labor Camp.”

“Really?” Rey asked, surprise filling her. “We didn’t think the planetary authorities even cared about the Schism.”

“Oh, they care,” Jackson told her. “They just haven’t had the manpower to do anything outside of Galadnt.” He glanced around the room again, confident that no one was listening. “The Authority has had people undercover with the Schism for months now. They were just waiting for approval from the First Order, and they’ll start sending out teams to arrest the leaders.”

“So, they got approval?” Poe asked.

Jackson nodded. “Just last night.” He looked back and forth between them. “Apparently, it was delayed because they were searching for the pilots of an old ARC-170 they shot down.” He paused, and the corner of his lip curled up. “From what I understand, they found those pilots, a male human and male Tognath, yesterday morning.”

Rey and Poe looked at each other in surprise, then Poe turned back to his friend. “Why did they think these men were the pilots?”

“Well, they were hiking on foot through the forest and as soon as the troopers found them, they started shooting.” He shrugged. “Of course, they were both dead before they could admit anything, but the First Order is convinced they killed two members of the Resistance. I wasn’t going to tell them any different. They’re leaving Soelea as we speak.”

Rey covered her mouth with her hand, not sure if she wanted to laugh or cry. Coincidence or the Force in action? She didn’t know. She looked at Poe, who was rubbing a hand down his face, shaking his head slowly.

Jackson frowned. “You know something about those men?”

“They were Schism,” Poe said quietly. “Their speeder is in the lot outside.”

Jackson laughed out loud, and Rey couldn’t stop her own small laugh.

“Dameron, you are the luckiest son of a bitch I know!”

“Shhhhh!” Poe shushed his friend, looking toward the two men still eating near the door, but he was laughing, too. “Now, about those A-Wings?” he said when he caught his breath.

“Well, that’s the thing,” Jackson continued. “You’re lucky I can still tell you about them, because the Authority is selling those five ships to the First Order while they are here to take the Schism prisoners. However, the First Order hasn’t taken them, yet. They’re still in the hanger.”

“What does the First Order want with A-Wings?” Rey asked, confused.

Poe looked at her, his brow furrowed, as if he was wondering the same thing, but then his eyes widened and he looked at Jackson. “Bait?”

“That’s my guess,” Jackson answered. “They’ll spread the word the ships are available and hope the Resistance comes looking for them. Too bad we already found them.” He handed over a piece of flimsy with an address and door code written on it. “Have a look-see,” he told Poe. “Willow and I are fair pilots, as long as we don’t have to fight, and Arely is good in a fighter.” He looked at Rey. “I’m going to assume you are probably more than adept as well?”

“She’s almost as good as me,” Poe told him.

Rey looked at him, a bit startled by the immediate praise.

“Then you must be amazing,” Jackson acknowledged, smiling at her.

Rey shrugged. “I’m lacking experience,” she told him truthfully. “But I’m getting it.”

“I’d wait until after sunset to have a look at them,” Jackson continued, nodding toward the flimsy. “Hopefully by then we’ll know when the Authority is going to make their move on the Schism. With the Authority distracted, it would be a perfect time to take off with our new A-Wings,” he grinned.

“How will you find that out?” Rey asked.

“Arely has an ‘in’ with one of the assistant admins,” he responded. “She has an ‘in’ with more than a few people in Galadnt that have information.”

“In other words,” Poe added. “She hasn’t changed.”

“Nope.”

A woman walked in from the front lobby of the hostel and headed directly for them. She was tall and blonde, her eyes a bright, pale blue. Poe saw her at the same time Rey did and he rose immediately to greet her.

“Willow!” he said with a smile.

She smiled back and reached for him, then hugged him warmly.

Rey couldn’t help the twinge of jealousy that shot through her, which made her mad. She had to remind herself that not only did Poe have many acquaintances throughout the galaxy, but he had made no commitment to her.

They separated and the woman named Willow looked at Rey. “And you must be Reece?” she said, reaching her hand out. Rey nodded and shook it as the woman sat down next to Jackson, who slid his arm around her shoulders. When Rey looked at the man, she found he was looking at her, a small smile on his face, as if he had known what she was thinking as she watched Poe and Willow embrace. Rey looked away quickly.

Poe sat down again and looked at Willow with narrowed eyes. “How did you guys know our current names?” he asked quietly.

Jackson snorted. “Willow snuck in to look at the register early this morning. It wasn’t hard to figure out, Kes.” He looked at Rey. “I know his dad, too.”

Rey nodded, still uneasy about what Jackson witnessed.

“Well, if you guys are done eating, how ‘bout we show you around Galadnt?”

Poe looked at Rey, then nodded. “Let’s do it.”

They all rose from their seats and headed toward the front entrance of the hostel. Once outside, the heat and humidity hit Rey and reminded her just how comfortable the hostel stayed, even without artificial cooling. Poe stepped up next to Jackson as they walked, and the two men started talking sports. Willow dropped back and walked alongside Rey.

“So, we’ve heard a lot about you, Rey,” she said softly. “I didn’t think you would be going on missions quite this risky, though.”

Rey shrugged. “I was really the only one available.”

“Well, I’m sure Poe appreciates the back-up of a Force user,” she said. “He’s always been the believer.”

Rey looked at her. “What do you mean?”

Willow glanced over. “I mean that most of us stopped believing in the Force and Jedi a long time ago. Even the stories of how Luke Skywalker defeated the Emperor couldn’t make us really believe, probably because none of us had ever met a Jedi. But Poe,” she paused. “He didn’t need to meet a Jedi to believe; he grew up with parents that actually knew and fought beside Skywalker. I guess it’s only fitting that his partner is a Jedi.”

Rey was silent for a while. “General Organa was almost a Jedi, too,” she said.

Willow looked at her in surprise. “I knew she was Skywalker’s sister, but I didn’t know she had that kind of ability.”

Rey nodded. “She’s the one training me.”

Willow smiled. “That is so wizard!”

Rey smiled back. Then they both looked ahead at the men walking in front of them.

Willow broke the comfortable silence. “Poe looks good in a skirt. Almost as good as Jackson.”

Rey couldn’t help but giggle, realizing that she had just been admiring Poe’s legs and ass as they walked along.

Willow nudged her. “You know why I love the native clothing?” she asked.

Rey shook her head.

“Easy access.”

It took a moment for Willow’s meaning to sink in. Rey felt her face heat, and she glanced over at the older woman, who was watching her with a smirk on her face. She started laughing and Rey joined her.

Poe and Jackson both looked back over their shoulders, wondering what was causing their laughter. Jackson just rolled his eyes and shook his head, but Poe looked at Rey, one eyebrow raised.

Maybe she would tell him the joke later, she thought.

Much later.

******

It was well after sunset before Poe and Rey made it back to the hostel.

They had spent all day with Jackson and Willow, essentially playing tourist around Galadnt, being introduced to locals and being ‘seen’ so no one could suspect them of being involved with the small Resistance group that Jackson and the others had begun forming. They spent lunch at an outdoor cafe with two locals, Sahil and Brizzy, who would be taking over the Soelea Resistance cell when Jackson and his team left. It was while they were there that Jackson received a message from Arely, letting them know the Soelea Planetary Authority was preparing to make their move against the Schism at high noon the next day.

As sunset neared, the group of four finally met up with Arely at a little diner near the warehouse where the A-Wings were kept. The food was amazing and Poe greatly enjoyed it, but he enjoyed watching Rey relish her meal even more. He also enjoyed her reaction to Arely.

Poe had never determined exactly what species Arely was and she wasn’t telling. He was convinced she was a hybrid of some sort, with one of her parents being human and the other… well, if he was being honest, he couldn’t help but wonder if her other half was Falleen. Though she was decidedly human in appearance, showing none of the characteristics of the Falleen, her skin had a soft greenish glow about it, and her black hair was long and straight and thick. She also exuded the same power and sensuousness that Poe had always heard was a Falleen trait. Whether it was simply her appearance and attitude or if she was actually releasing pheromones as the Falleen did, Arely managed to charm, beguile, and seduce anyone she set her attention on, male or female, human or otherwise.

At first, Rey seemed intrigued by the woman, absorbed with listening to her talk and tell stories of her abilities to coax secrets out of the most trusted Authority staff members. But as the meal continued and Poe found himself the main focus of Arely’s attention, he could see Rey withdrawing into herself. He tried to convince himself that she was jealous, even if he wasn’t doing anything more than being pleasant to the Resistance spy; Arely had always been attractive to him, but he had never been more than a commanding officer to her. However, Rey seemed more resigned than jealous, and he couldn’t figure out why.

After the meal, the group separated, planning to meet at the warehouse an hour before noontide the next day. Poe and Rey headed for the warehouse where Poe used the code Jackson had given him to enter the small door located in a darkened ally. Only a few lights were on in the warehouse/hanger, but they were enough to see by. Poe walked toward the five dark shapes in the middle of the room. Arely had learned about these ships only last week, after seducing one of the mechanics. She had immediately reported her find to Leia.

Poe glanced over at the main door, comforted by the fact that it was indeed large enough to fly out of, and knew they were going to create quite a stir when they exited tomorrow as the door faced the main road. He turned back to the ships, giving Rey a quick grin. She had been very quiet since dinner, and he really wanted to change that.

“They’re beautiful,” he said, walking to one of the ships and reaching up to stroke its nose.

“I thought you were in love with your X-Wings,” Rey said with a tiny tilt to her lips. “Not forgetting your affair with the Falcon, of course.”

Poe chuckled. “Of course, I love X-Wings,” he told her. “But these…” he paused, trying to find the right words. “These are my ‘parents.’ My ‘teachers’.”

Rey furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand.”

“My mom flew these,” he explained. He looked back up at the ship. “She taught me to fly in one of these.”

Rey’s mouth opened in wonder, and her eyes widened. “I didn’t realize,” she said. “I guess I had just assumed she was an X-Wing pilot as well.”

“Let’s check ‘em out, shall we?” He grinned again, and this time Rey smiled back.

They spent the next hour or so checking each ship, making sure they were not only fueled up and ready for flight, but that their weapons systems and hyperdrive were in working order. The First Order cruiser may have left the planet and Soelea itself did not have planetary defenses, but there was no saying what they might run into after leaving here tomorrow and they needed to be ready.

Finally, they left the warehouse and made their way back to the hostel. Rey was in a much better mood now, but Poe suddenly became determined to get everything out in the open before they let themselves enjoy the rest of the night.

“So,” he began as the door closed behind them. “I noticed you and Willow were getting along great, but you didn’t seem too comfortable with Arely. Any reason why?”

Rey looked at him, surprise on her face. “How..?”

“I may not be a Jedi, but I can read your body language pretty well, Rey,” He shrugged. “I’ve known her for a long time and I trust her, but if you sense something..?”

“No, no!” Rey interrupted. “Nothing like that. She seems very committed to the Resistance.”

“Then, what?”

She shrugged. “You just said that you’ve known her for a long time and I just started wondering if…” She took a deep breath. “I was wondering how many times you’ve had sex with her. Or Willow or Jackson, for that matter.” Not meeting his gaze, she walked over to the bed and sat on the edge.

“Kriff, Rey, what do you think I am? The Resistance whore?”

Rey gasped and met his eyes with her own. “Force, no!” she said emphatically. “I just know you’re more experienced than I am and everyone loves you so I know you’d have no trouble finding a partner and I…” blushing, she looked down at her hands, which she had clasped in her lap.

Poe sighed. “Rey, I’ve had a few partners in my life, yes. Some casual, some serious. But I am not and have never been promiscuous. And if we’re being honest here, you have to know that I haven’t been with anyone in over a year now.”

Her eyes shot up to his once more. “Really?”

He nodded. “Really.” He moved to sit next to her on the bed. “I’ve been so damn focused on this war since joining the Resistance that sex just fell to the wayside. I’ve been approached a couple of times and I thought about approaching others a couple of times, but something always interfered. And I didn’t miss it.” He looked at her. “But you…” He took another deep breath. “Since that day on Crait, all I seem to dream about, fantasize about, is you.”

Rey looked at him, her eyes soft, but her brow furrowed. “Why?” she breathed.

He laughed softly and shrugged. “I don’t know,” he told her honestly. “It’s like I’ve known you my whole life. Or like I’ve been waiting for you my whole life.”

Her eyes started shining and he knew she was fighting tears. “Poe,” she whispered, then she leaned forward.

He met her half way, their lips connecting, their tongues immediately seeking and finding each other’s. There were no more words as weapons and shoes and clothing were quickly removed. Both finally naked, they crawled to the middle of the bed and continued kissing and touching while they kneeled, facing each other.

“How do you want this, Rey?” Poe asked softly in between kisses. “I want what you want.”

She laughed softly. “I thought we established that you’re the one with experience,” she told him. “What do you think I’ll like?”

He moved back and gave her a contemplative look, then felt himself smile. He turned a bit and sat down in the middle of the mattress, extending his legs out in front of him. He held his hands out to Rey. “Ride me,” he said, his voice rough.

Her eyes flashed at his words and she grasped his hands with her own, moving toward him on her knees. She brought one leg over his, straddling him, and lowered herself down carefully so she was sitting on his thighs right above his knees. Her eyes lowered to his cock, which was almost at full mast, but not quite there, yet.

“Help a guy out, will ya?” he told her with a smirk.

She looked back up at him. “How?”

He smiled, letting go of her hands. “Touch me,” he responded.

Licking her lips nervously, Rey reached down and tentatively grabbed his penis with one hand. Just that small touch made him hiss. She looked up at him in surprise and let go.

“It’s okay!” he reassured her. “It just felt so good.” He nodded. “Please, don’t stop.”

She focused on his cock again, taking it in hand once more and running her fingers along his length. Almost immediately, he was fully aroused. “A little harder,” he told her. As her grip tightened and her hand moved up and down along his shaft, he brought his own hand to her center, surprised to find her so wet she was almost dripping. “Fuck,” he mumbled, his breathing quickening. “You’re so ready for me.”

Her own breathing was speeding up and she met his eyes. “Can I..?”

He nodded, leaving her soaked pussy to gently grab her hips and coax her forward on his thighs. She braced her free hand on his shoulder as she shuffled forward, then lifted herself so she could line herself up with him. Still holding him with her other hand, she lowered herself down, slowly impaling herself on his now rock-hard shaft. Her hand came up to land on his other shoulder and she closed her eyes as she sank down, taking him all. Her mouth opened and one of the most erotic moans he had ever heard emanated from her.

Her eyes opened and he leaned forward to kiss her, bringing his hands up to trace tenderly across her back, sliding his fingertips up along her spine, then back down to her buttocks. She was rocking now, instinct taking over and making her move in a way that helped increase pleasure for both of them. He moved his lips down to her jaw, biting her lightly, then leaned back so he could watch her face. Her eyes were half-open, watching him as her rocking became faster.

“Poe?” she whispered.

“That’s it, Sunshine,” he told her, his fingers continuing their exploration of her back. “Just do what feels good. Chase that high.”

Her hips started moving even faster, her thighs pushing her up and down slightly as she began to look for more friction. He felt her fingernails dig into his shoulders and he reveled in the fact that he was making her feel this much pleasure. He heard a noise off to the side and looked over as one of the pictures on the wall, one that was already askew from last night’s activities, moved even further and then fell to the floor. He smiled.

“Good girl,” he groaned, remembering not only how excited she had gotten last night when he praised her but how disturbed she had been afterward knowing she was unconsciously making things move with her mind; he didn’t want her to fear losing control, and knowing she had probably heard the picture fall, he wanted to keep her attention on what she was feeling, not what she was unintentionally doing through the Force.

He felt the muscles in her cunt start contracting and groaned as she squeezed him. She cried out and another picture slid off the wall. He also noticed the entertainment center remote floating several inches off the ground. “Oh, kriff, baby,” he moaned as she continued to keen. “Yes! Come for me! You are so fucking beautiful when you come!”

Slowly, her tremoring body became limp and she let herself fall into him. He tightened his arms around her, burying his face in the crook of her neck, whispering to her. “You are so amazing. So beautiful. You take me so well and love it. Such a good girl.”

Finally, her breathing returned to normal and she sat back to look at him, her eyes almost glowing. “You didn’t come?” she whispered, her voice cracking a bit.

“Guess I was too busy enjoying watching you,” he told her with a smile.

She bit her bottom lip, but then a wicked little smile played at her lips. “It’s your turn now. How do you want me?”

He felt his eyes widen at her question, and his cock, still buried inside her, jumped. He swallowed harshly.

When he didn’t respond right away, she continued. “You told me you fantasize about me,” she said softly. “So, tell me.”

A vision immediately popped into Poe’s mind, but he pushed it out. It was too soon, he thought. She was too new at this.

Almost as if she read his mind, she leaned forward, bringing her forehead against his. “Poe,” she said. “Tell me.”

He paused, but then asked. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course,” she answered without hesitation.

He glanced over to his side, making sure there was room, then looked back at Rey. “Lie on your belly,” he told her.

Her eyes flashing in excitement, Rey gave him a small smile, then slid off of him carefully and moved to lie down next to him on the bed.

He turned and grabbed a pillow, then touched her waist. “Lift,” he commanded, and when she obeyed, he pushed the pillow under her hips. She watched him, her eyes wide, curious. He met her gaze with his own. “You will tell me if I do something you don’t like, is that understood?”

She nodded, bringing her arms up to fold them under her head.

He brought one knee in between her legs, then his other one, and she spread them without any question. He slid down the bed, then lowered his upper body so he was even with her pussy. Without giving her any warning, he licked her. She squealed and jumped, but otherwise didn’t move. Holding her thighs open with his hands, he proceeded to make love to her pussy with his lips and tongue. Already knowing she tasted amazing, he let himself go at her like he was starving. She cried out, her hips wriggling madly. “Oh, kark, Poe! Argh!”

He felt a wave of fresh moisture flow into his mouth and he smiled, quickly pulling back and sitting up. He moved forward, grabbing his cock and slipping into her folds, sinking in deep once more. Her back bowed as she pushed her hips up and back into him. He heard himself growl at her receptivity. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he moved one leg back over hers, then the other, then used his knees to bring her thighs back together, narrowing her entrance. He groaned as his cock felt the tightening around it.

Rey was panting once more, and Poe stopped moving, paying close attention to the tension in her body. She had brought her arms out from under her head and was gripping the blanket with her hands, but her body was still pliant and yielding. He brought his upper body down over hers, sliding his hands under her armpits and curling them over her shoulders. He lowered his head down and she turned hers just enough that she was able to make eye contact with him. There was no fear or pain in her gaze, just excitement.

“Rey?”

“Fuck me.”

Gripping her shoulders to hold her still, he began to pump his hips. Hard. Her mouth opened and her eyes closed as she grunted along with his thrusts. His pace quickened. He had already been too close when he chose this position, and now that he was here, her sweet, perfect body under his, her hot, wet center enveloping his cock, her passionate cries filling his ears… he wasn’t going to last long.

Suddenly, her soft whines became cries and her hot cunt became impossibly tight around him. That was all he needed and he felt his own cry escape as he spilled himself into her. He buried his face in her shoulder and felt her hand reach around to grab his hair. She didn’t pull it. She just held on to it, as if she needed it to keep her grounded.

He wasn’t sure how long it was before he felt her hand release him and her whole body went limp underneath his. He pushed himself up on his elbows, keeping his head lowered so that his forehead rested on her upper back, trying to catch his breath. “Fuck,” he whispered, suddenly afraid to look around the room. Seeing as his orgasm happened immediately after Rey’s he wasn’t sure what she might have been doing. He hoped the walls were still intact.

Rey’s body started vibrating and he realized with a start that she was laughing. He lifted his head and saw that she was looking off to the side. He looked as well. One of the generic scenic pictures was hanging upside down from one of the light fixtures on the wall, looking almost as if someone had placed it there on purpose.

“Looks better that way,” Poe muttered, causing another wave of giggles from the woman beneath him.

******

When Rey opened her eyes, she became immediately aware of daylight streaming through the window behind her. She was curled up with her head on Poe’s shoulder as he lay on his back, and as she lifted her head to look at him, she recalled every moment of the night before. After those two intense orgasms, Poe had led Rey into the ‘fresher. Exhausted, they both decided against another bath and showered together instead. Poe took his time washing her, cleaning every nook and cranny she had, and she returned the favor with delight. She wasn’t sure about Poe, but she fell right to sleep after they returned to the bed.

Silently, she watched him sleep, her heart aching a bit. They were leaving today. Less than ten hours of hyperspace travel and they would meet up with the main division of the Resistance on Umbara. She remembered her promise, that no one would know about them, but she wasn’t sure if that meant this would continue or not. It would be very difficult to keep this hidden, as they all lived in close quarters. But maybe, just maybe, Poe would be okay with letting people know. Maybe his feelings for her were strong enough to brave Leia’s supposed wrath. In all honesty, Rey wasn’t sure what Leia would think; other than making sure Rey started on the monthly birth control injection all the Resistance members were requested to keep up with, they had never discussed sex or romantic liaisons. Rey remembered at the time how she thought the shots were unnecessary, but she guessed Leia was worried about Rey getting raped. She highly doubted Leia had been worrying about Poe Dameron at the time.

Smiling down at the sleeping Poe, she couldn’t help but wonder what Leia would think if she knew.

As she let her eyes roam his face, noting how soft his features were in sleep, she felt the air change. It was as if all sound and feeling had been sucked out of the room, and Rey was all too familiar with the sensation.

She felt his presence behind her, but she didn’t turn around. Instead, she pushed the sheet still covering her hip off completely, then moved forward to straddle the man next to her, bringing her head down so she could kiss his stubbly jaw. Her action roused Poe immediately, and she felt his hands come up to grasp her hips, smoothing them down over her buttocks. He moaned and raised his chin, offering his neck to Rey, a small smile on his lips.

Rey felt an increase in the dark energy coming from the other side of the room as she continued kissing Poe’s neck and couldn’t help but smile. She felt Poe’s body tense and knew he had felt the dark, too. The man was far more attuned to the Force than he believed, she thought. She lifted her head to look at him and saw that he was staring off to the side, his eyes angry. His arms tightened around her lower back.

Rey finally looked over at Kylo Ren. His expression was outraged and his obsidian eyes flashed red. He looked at Rey, meeting her eyes.

“Get. Out.” Rey’s voice was soft but powerful.

Suddenly, he was gone.

Rey looked back down at Poe, who was looking at her now, anger still in his eyes.

“You wanted him to see you like this,” he accused.

“I wanted him to see us like this,” she corrected. “Now maybe he’ll leave me alone.”

“He’ll do his best to kill you, now.”

Rey huffed a laugh with no humor. “That’s a given, no matter what,” she said, pushing herself off of him. “The next time we meet, one or both of us are going to die.”

“Don’t say that!” Poe demanded, sitting up.

Rey slid off the bed, looking for her clothing. The valet droid had returned their old garments, but Rey chose the green skirt and cream tunic instead. “Why?” she glanced at him. “It’s true. It’s what Leia is training me for.”

Poe reached for his own clothing, also going with the local wear. “Rey!”

She stopped, glaring at him. “She knows we’ll meet again, and she knows I have to be ready.” She paused. “She knows I’ll have to kill him,” she added softly.

Poe stared at her, his eyes huge, worried.

Rey finished dressing, throwing her old tunic and wraps in her bag, leaving the stolen leggings. Poe shoved his boots into his bag and left the rest, including, Rey noted, his underwear. He looked at his chrono and winced.

“We should grab something to eat on the way over to the warehouse,” he said, his voice still gruff from sleep and emotion.

Rey simply nodded as they headed for the door. She looked behind her just before leaving, eyeing the minor disaster the room had become thanks to her. Well, not just her; she wasn’t going to release Poe from any blame. Smiling slightly, she turned from the room to find Poe watching her. “Let’s go,” she said softly.

He nodded, and they headed for the stairs and the lobby. Poe acknowledged the man behind the desk, and they exited the cool building and entered the humid atmosphere of Soelea.

“I just can’t get over the muggy air,” Rey told him as they turned in the direction of the warehouse.

“Well, you better get used to it,” Poe replied.

“Why?”

“Ajan Kloss is hot and humid, too,” he explained, naming the planet that Leia was considering moving the Resistance base to; the General was familiar with it and knew it wouldn’t be on the First Order’s radar.

Stopping at a kiosk that sold sandwiches, they continued on, reaching the warehouse just short of an hour before noon.

The others were already there, waiting quietly in an office just off of the make-shift hanger. “Well, Commander,” Jackson said, his demeanor calm but his energy excited. “How are we doing this?”

Poe eyed the ships around the corner for a moment, then turned back to the others. “We’ll warm up our ships before the door opens,” he said. “I’ll take the one closest to the door. When we’re good, I’ll pop it open and run-“

“Wait,” Rey interrupted. “That’s too risky. We know there will be alarms going off as soon as that door opens. Why don’t you let me open it from my ship?”

Poe stared at her for a while, his mouth open in surprise. “I forget I’ve got a Jedi on my team,” he said softly. “Sure you can do it?”

Rey nodded. “I’m sure.”

Poe nodded back. “Okay.” He looked at his chrono. “I guess we just wait, now.”

Jackson’s comm dinged and he turned away from them to answer it. He looked back at Arely. “Brizzy is outside. Says he has that information you wanted?”

She nodded. “About the camo nets the General was asking about.”

Jackson shrugged. “Since we got time.” He looked at Poe. “We’ll be right outside.” The two turned and headed for the entrance.

Willow was watching Poe and Rey with a raised eyebrow, then she suddenly turned after the other two. “I’ll come with,” she said. She looked back at Rey. “You two hold down the fort. We might be a while.” She winked.

Rey felt her face heat as she watched the three fellow Resistance members leave, then she looked at Poe, who was also watching them with a very confused look on his face.

“What the hell was that about?” He was leaning back against the high desk, arms folded, brow furrowed.

Rey took a deep breath and walked up to him. “I think she was letting us know we would be alone for a while.”

Poe’s eyes searched her face, but his frown remained.

Rey put her hands on his chest, then slid them up to his bare shoulders, running them down his biceps. She could feel him tense up and he stood straight, dropping his arms to grab her elbows. “Rey,” he started.

“Do you remember when you caught Willow and I laughing yesterday?” she asked, not letting him continue. She let her hands drift down to his abdomen. “Do you know why we were laughing?”

Still frowning, he shook his head.

“She was telling me why she liked the native clothing,” Rey continued. Reaching for the edge of his skirt, she said softly, “Easy access.” She brought her hands underneath the kilt, easily finding his penis, which was already stiffening rather impressively. She remembered Poe telling her how quickly he became aroused around her.

He closed his eyes and hissed. “Rey, we shouldn’t.” His grip on her elbows tightened, but he didn’t try and move her away.

“Why shouldn’t we?” she asked, her voice breathy as she stroked him. “Willow will make sure they give us time.”

He shook his head, opening his eyes to look at her, his expression almost sad.

Rey brought her face up to his, still stroking his erection; after last night, she knew exactly what he liked. “Who knows when we’ll get a chance to be alone again?” she whispered. “Please?” She kissed him, and he responded instantly. Gently, their lips and tongues danced, soft moans sounding first from one, then the other. Rey felt the now familiar surge of moisture as her body prepared to accept his.

Poe tightened his grip on her elbows even more and turned her around so that she was up against the desk. She felt it dig against the small of her back and knew that it was too high for what she had in mind. Poe seemed to come to the same conclusion at the same time. “Turn around,” he whispered against her lips.

She smiled. “Commander, you are obsessed with my backside!” she teased as she did as he asked.

“I am obsessed with all of your sides,” he responded, whispering into her hair as he pulled up her long skirt. She felt his fingers delve into her wet folds and he groaned, nosing her hair aside so he could kiss her neck. He moved his hips into her and she felt the tip of his cock as he teased her with it. “Such a good girl getting ready for me so fast,” he muttered, and Rey felt a chill slink up her spine at his praise; she would never get tired of hearing it.

Slowly, inch by inch, he pushed himself into her. Rey moaned, reminded once more how large he was. But he felt so perfect, so right. Once his hips were flush up against her buttocks, he held still for a moment, his hands tight on her waist, his face still buried against her neck, his nose tickling the back of her ear. Then he began to move.

Rey felt herself leaning over the desk as Poe plunged deep over and over again, his pace getting faster and faster. Her soft cries matched his thrusts, and she reached forward to grip the other side of the desk, bracing herself as their bodies slammed against each other. One of his hands left her hip and reached around her front, his fingers finding the sensitive bundle of nerves right above where he was sliding in and out of her. She tensed immediately, feeling her body start to fly.

“I’m not gonna last, Sunshine,” he growled. “I’m taking you with me!”

Rey nodded, her vision going white as his fingers strummed her to completion. For a moment she panicked; she hoped she didn’t break anything! But then the pleasure overrode her fear and she cried out.

Poe was hammering into her, his own release imminent, and finally she felt him reach it. The hand that had been toying with her clit came up, and his arm encircled her waist, holding her tightly against him. Breathing hard, they stood still for a moment, but then Poe pulled out of her and gently turned her around, releasing her just enough for their skirts to fall back into place. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he pulled her close, and without question she wrapped her own arms around him, burying her face against his neck. She shuddered, suddenly feeling emotional, and tried to hold back the tears she could feel forming in her eyes; why did this feel like goodbye?

After a long while, Poe pulled back a bit. Rey gave him a smile, pushing back the dread. “Was that a quickie?”

Poe huffed a laugh. “What do you know about quickies?”

“Snap and Karè do them a lot, or so Snap says.”

Poe rolled his eyes. “They share friggin’ quarters,” he grumbled. “Why would they need quickies?”

Rey shrugged, then she became serious. “We could do this, Poe,” she said softly. “We could be careful. No one would know.” Poe was shaking his head, but Rey continued. “Until we’re ready to let everyone know.”

“No, Rey,” Poe’s voice was firm. “This won’t continue. It ends here.”

Rey drew away from him, surprised by his vehemence. “What? Why?”

“It has to,” he continued. “I should never have let this happen.”

Rey felt anger well. “You sure didn’t try and stop it too hard!”

“No, I didn’t,” he agreed. “It’s my fault and I’m sorry.”

“So, what? I’m just a fling? Just a little fun while you’re away from your superiors?”

“Rey, you are so much more than that!” he argued. “You are so much better than that! Better than me.”

“Oh, so we’re back to that again?”

Grimacing, he took a deep breath. “You will find someone worthy-“ he started.

“I already have!” she interrupted.

He shook his head again and she saw anger in his eyes. “We need to focus on what’s really important,” he told her. “And that’s winning this war.”

Rey stepped back, more than a little taken aback by his argument. This was a new tactic, bringing the war into the conversation. Telling her she was too good for him wasn’t working, nor was making her afraid of others, namely Leia, finding out. So, he was bringing out the big guns, trying to make her feel guilty for not making the war her priority. Appealing to her sense of righteousness. It was smart. It was persuasive.

It was manipulative.

Rey felt tears fill her eyes and she took another step back away from him. “Maybe you were right,” she whispered. “You’re not worth it.”

She saw the flash of pain in his eyes, and she felt a moment of guilt, but then his brow lowered and his dark eyes became angry once again.

“Well, it’s almost noon!” Willow’s voice called from the warehouse area. “Are we ready to go?”

Rey stared at Poe for a while longer, then she answered. “Almost!” she hollered back, and Willow and the others entered the office. “I need to use the ‘fresher before we leave.”

Without looking at them, she turned and headed for the tiny room at the back of the office. She could still feel his cum on her thighs, getting dry and sticky. She needed to clean herself before the long flight back to base. As she closed herself away, she let the tears in her eyes fall, wondering when she would learn to stop caring for people more than they would ever care about her.

Even now, despite what she could do with the Force, she was nothing. People cared about what she was, a Jedi, not who she was. Nobody knew who she was.

Not even herself.

******

Two Weeks Later

The days that followed the mission to Soelea were hectic and exhausting. After successfully leaving the warehouse (as she predicted, Rey had no trouble opening the door with the Force) and flying unhindered to Umbara with their five new A-Wings, Poe was immediately put in charge of assigning pilots to the fighters and training them. Meanwhile, the rest of the Resistance began preparations for a move to Ajan Kloss.

It took more than a week for the move to be completed, and they were still trying to get settled, finding the high humidity of the area rough on most of their equipment. While her officers complained, Leia just commented that it was still better than “everything freezing on Hoth.”

Today, Poe had been directing a group of volunteers in covering the open areas where they were keeping the fighters with the camo netting Arely has procured from the contact she had met on Soelea. All but the last corner he was working on was up, so the others had already headed back to the main part of the camp. And it was still a camp, with most of the soldiers living in either tents or tucked away in the caves that lined one side of the valley they were hiding in. Leia had already turned one large cavern overlooking her main area of operations into a combination bedroom/office. Rey was sharing the ‘room’ with her.

Poe finished with the last tie on the netting, then started to climb down the ladder he was using to reach the treetop he had tied it to. As he descended, he felt a tingle on the back of his neck, the same feeling he had long ago learned not to ignore during a dogfight. As he let go and jumped the last few feet to the ground, he turned to look toward the camp.

Rey was watching him.

Even at this distance, he saw her eyes widen when she realized he had spotted her, and she immediately turned and walked away from him, back toward the control center. He continued to watch her, however. She was back to wearing form fitting leggings and her wraps, both the gauzy ones she wore around her body and the protective ones she wore on her arms, and her hair was once more in its familiar three buns. He did note with some pleasure that she still wore the tunic he had bought for her on Soelea, but he already missed the long green skirt that set off her eyes, her bare arms, and her hair loose around her shoulders.

He also missed her smile, her laugh, her smell, her touch… everything.

The familiar and beloved sounds of his droid caught his attention just as Rey’s form disappeared among the trees, and he turned to greet him.

“Hey, buddy,” he said, aware his voice was a bit gruff. “What have you been up to?”

*I’ve been trying to make Mistress Rey happy again*

Poe’s heart clenched. How did he respond to that? “Uh, is she sad?”

BB-8 beeped an affirmative. Then *Maybe you could try. You’ve always been able to make her smile*

“Yeah, I don’t think she really wants to talk to me right now, bud,” Poe said softly. The fact was, Rey had not said a word to him since they left Soelea. Any time they had been in the same vicinity, she had purposefully ignored him. There was no anger, no condemnation. There was no anything. From what he could tell, no one seemed to notice the tension between them, but that was no surprise as everyone had been so busy. It was also no surprise that BB-8, who had attached himself to Rey on Jakku what seemed a lifetime ago, had noticed.

Poe squatted down next to his droid. “Hey, Beebs? Can you do me a big favor?”

An immediate affirmation.

“I’m going on a training run in the morning, and I’m going to take R2 with me.”

There was an indignant beep.

“Now before you get your wires twisted, I need to tell you why,” Poe continued. “I want him to get used to our ship and to flying with me in case of an emergency and…” he paused for effect. “I want you to start keeping an eye on Rey when I’m not here, okay?”

BB-8 considered him for a long time. Then *is she in danger?*

“What do you think, bud? She’s the last Jedi. Ren wants her bad, either to turn her to the Dark Side, or to kill her. He can still find her in the Force, and while I think she’s strong enough to keep him out, I think if she knows she’s not alone, that she’s loved, she can fight him off easier.”

BB-8 rolled back and forth a bit. *I know she would be stronger if she was happy. You could make her happy by telling her you love her!*

He gave his friend a sad smile. “There are too many reasons why I can’t do that,” he whispered.

*There is never a good reason to not tell someone you love that you love them.*

Through the ‘mouths’ of droids, Poe thought.

Poe heard footsteps coming from behind him. He stood and turned to see Finn walking toward them, a small smile on his face.

“Hey, guys,” he said, acknowledging both him and BB-8. “You got the netting done, I see.”

Poe snorted. “And I didn’t see you helping,” he joked. He knew Finn had been practicing stormtrooper battle maneuvers with several of the trainees.

“Ha!” Finn responded. “Now that both of us are caught up on stuff, maybe we can start working on the training course for Rey.”

As if she wanted him to help with that, Poe thought to himself. “Yeah, maybe.”

Finn suddenly looked nervous. “Say, do you have time to talk? Like, really talk?” He glanced at BB-8. “In private?”

BB-8 twittered, basically saying *I know when I’m not wanted* then rolled away. *I’m going to find Mistress Rey*

Poe couldn’t help but smile, shaking his head. But his smile faded as he looked back at the serious look on his friend’s face.

“What’s up?” he asked.

“What’s going on with you and Rey?”

Shit.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that something obviously happened on Soelea that neither of you are talking about,” Finn answered, unfazed by Poe’s attempt to play dumb. “Did you guys have a fight? I mean a real fight, not one of those squabbles you guys seem to enjoy?”

Poe stared at him, wondering how well he could lie to this man. Since the first day they met, there had been a connection between the two of them; never had Poe met another who was able to read him as well as Finn could. In most cases, especially when they were on a mission together, this was a good thing. But sometimes it wasn’t. How did you keep secrets from people who knew you as well as they knew themselves?

“No, we didn’t fight,” he said honestly. “No more than usual, anyway,” he amended. There had been some bickering on the flight out, before the crash. “We worked really well together,” he added.

Finn was looking at him intently, and Poe immediately felt uneasy. Would he read more into that statement than Poe had intended?

“I know you did,” Finn finally said. “You two got into a mess of trouble and not only did you get out alive, but you succeeded in the mission.” He shrugged. “Rey was just talking about how the Soelean government was finally getting a handle on some criminal organization, too, helping a lot of innocent people.”

Poe nodded. “Yeah, I think we are both very happy to hear that the Schism is no more.” He shrugged. “I don’t know what else to tell you.”

“How about you tell me when you two are going to finally admit you feel something for each other and stop wasting time?”

Poe froze. “What?”

Finn sighed. “I see the way she looks at you. Even before you guys went to Soelea together.” He focused intently on Poe. “And I see the way you look at her.”

Poe shook his head. “No,” he argued. “Whatever she feels for me is temporary, and I… I accept that.”

“Sithspit,” Finn growled.

“Why aren’t you talking to her?” Poe deflected.

“I’ve tried, but she’s even more stubborn than you!” He shook his head. “She keeps denying that anything is wrong, but dammit, Poe. I haven’t seen her smile in two weeks!”

Poe winced. “She’ll get over it.”

“Over what?” Finn practically shouted. “What did you do to her?”

“I didn’t..!” Poe started to defend himself, but realized he couldn’t. Not really. “I broke her heart, okay.” He felt his face heat as his voice cracked. “But she’s young. Tough. She’ll get over it.”

Finn stepped back, mouth open, eyes wide. He took a deep breath. “Do you not love her?”

“Of course, I do,” Poe whispered. No sense in denying it now. “But I’m not what she needs.”

“What she needs?” Finn repeated, aghast. “What she needs are friends who support her. Who trust her. Who make sure she knows she’s not alone. That she’s more than just our good-luck Jedi charm.” He sighed. “Poe, you have to trust that she knows what she wants. If she wants you, then you should just kriffing accept that honor and let her love you.”

Poe closed his eyes, swallowing harshly. “I can’t.”

“Yeah, you can,” Finn said softly. “You are the two best friends I’ve got,” he added. “I want to see you both happy, even in the midst of this damn war. If you found something good on Soelea, then keep it! Don’t let it go!”

Finn continued staring intently at him, but Poe couldn’t meet his eyes. Everything in him wanted to agree with Finn, to do what he said he should do, but he was pretty sure it was too late now. There was no way Rey would forgive him.

“I’ve gotta go,” Finn finally said, his voice still soft. “I’m meeting Rose and Rey for dinner. Now that things are mostly settled, Leia wants a big feast tonight.” He paused. “Join us?”

Poe shook his head. “I’m tired. I got a training flight early in the morning. I think I’ll turn in soon.” He still couldn’t meet his friend’s gaze.

Finn nodded. “Think about what I said.” Then he turned and headed for the camp.

His chest feeling tight, Poe turned in the opposite direction, heading aimlessly into the jungle.

***

Rey sat at the table she had claimed as her ‘study spot,’ one of the Sacred Jedi Texts open in front of her, but she wasn’t reading. She was staring off into the distance, her mind zinging around with thought after thought and memory after memory. An old fan was blowing semi-cool air in her direction, but even when it made the pages of her book flutter, she didn’t notice.

Currently, she was thinking back to just a couple of hours ago, when she had been out by the gorge meditating, BB-8 her only companion. They had both looked up when a familiar and beloved orange and white X-Wing had flown overhead, swooping gracefully down toward the landing area. BB-8 had told Rey that R2 was flying with Poe today, and that BB-8 didn’t mind because then he got to spend time with Rey. Rey hadn’t questioned the droid about why Poe was flying with R2; she tried her best to not be curious about anything the Commander was doing. But now, here she was, wondering that very thing.

“Rey?”

Leia’s voice made her jump, and she looked over at her Master, who had just come up the stairs. She looked tired.

“Are you alright?” Rey asked, suddenly anxious. She jumped up from her chair and walked over to Leia.

The older woman waved her off. “I’m fine!” she said as she walked over to her bed. “I didn’t sleep well last night and thought I would take a nap before the evening meal.” She sat on the edge of her bed. “You looked like you were miles away,” she said, looking up at Rey. “I have a feeling you weren’t contemplating what you just read.”

“No, I was…” She paused. “Why was R2 with Poe today?”

Leia shrugged slightly. “We decided that since BB-8 is doing more and more work on the ground, Poe and R2 should get more comfortable with each other in flight. BB-8 is more maneuverable and quicker on the ground, and he seems to like ‘sneaking around.’ R2’s servos are getting old and he can’t do a lot of the things he used to.”

Rey nodded. It made sense. She wandered back over to her table and sat. Leia watched her for a while, her look questioning.

“What?” Rey asked quietly.

“Finn told me today that he and Poe were going to start working on a training course for you. You should make some time to work with them, let them know what you want.”

Rey swallowed, suddenly nervous. She hadn’t spoken to Poe since that last conversation on Soelea. Right after… She looked at Leia, feeling her face heat at the memory. “Yeah,” she whispered. “I will.”

Leia looked troubled. “Rey, I wish you would tell me what’s wrong.”

Startled, Rey looked up at her Master. “Why do you think anything is wrong?”

Leia tilted her head. “Really?” she asked, sarcasm heavy in her voice. “The reason I’m not getting enough sleep is because my roommate is tossing and turning and not sleeping herself at night.”

Rey flushed. “I’m sorry!”

“You haven’t been getting any more… visits… from Ben, have you?”

Rey bit her lip.

“Rey?”

“He does find me, when I’m extra tired or stressed,” she admitted. “But I always block him out before he can say or do anything.” She sighed. “He found me twice when I was on Soelea, but I haven’t had any problems since.”

“So, what is keeping you up at night?” Leia asked.

Rey stayed silent. She had told Poe she wouldn’t let anyone know what had happened between them. Admitting to Leia that she couldn’t sleep because she missed Poe…

“Does it have something to do with the Commander?”

Shocked, Rey looked at Leia.

“It’s not a giant leap,” Leia told her. “You both have been acting odd since you came back from Soelea. You used to spend almost all your extra time with both him and Finn, but now I never see the three of you together, and it’s either you or Poe that’s missing. And I haven’t seen you bicker with him since you two came back either; I miss it.” She smiled wryly.

Rey huffed a soft laugh. She missed it, too.

“I’m going to guess that you two either had a huge fight while you were on Soelea… or the opposite.”

Rey chewed her lip for a moment. “I told him nobody would know,” she whispered.

Leia nodded. “So, the opposite.” She sighed. “And why the secrecy?”

Rey shrugged. “He told me you wouldn’t be happy about it. That you would be mad at him for… I don’t know… defiling me?”

Leia laughed out loud, startling Rey. “He’s worried about disappointing me again.”

“He also said that he’s too old for me, too ‘broken.’ And that we should be focusing on the war.”

Leia frowned. “Sounds like he’s making up several excuses, doesn’t it?” She grimaced. “I’m surprised he didn’t quote the Jedi Code.”

Rey frowned. “What part?”

“The part forbidding attachments,” Leia answered.

“I guess I always thought that meant not becoming so attached to someone or something that your ability as a Jedi was compromised,” Rey said.

Leia nodded. “Your interpretation is correct. But from what I understand, some Jedi, especially in the later years of the Order, took that rule to mean absolutely no romantic or familial relationships. Luke felt it was part of the reason why the Order failed so badly. That if they had been more open to their emotions, they would have sensed Sidious before he took control.”

Taking a deep breath, Leia asked, “Rey, are you in love with Poe?”

Meeting her mentor’s caring brown eyes with her own, Rey nodded.

Leia nodded back. “I want to tell you a story,” she said. “I was only nineteen when I fell in love, real love, for the first time. It was in the middle of a war, he was much older than me, and he had this idea that I was far too good for him. By the time I had admitted to him I loved him, it was almost too late. Fortunately, it wasn’t, but he still had this silly idea that I would realize I was just infatuated with him and leave him for someone ‘better,’ more my age, more suitable for my station in life. But I knew what I wanted, and it was him.”

Rey knew without a doubt Leia was talking about Han Solo. “What did you do?”

Looking her straight in the eye, Leia said, “I fought for him.”

Rey looked down at her clasped hands as they lay in her lap. “What if he doesn’t feel the same?” she whispered.

“Rey, I have watched Poe Dameron watch you since that first day you rescued us on Crait. If he isn’t in love with you, then I’ll eat my cane.”

Rey laughed softly, and Leia gave her a soft smile in return. “Fight for him, Rey. There is more to life than war. Don’t wait to start living it!”

******

Rey was running, her panic palpable. Her fear increased as she turned to see Kylo Ren, mask on, red lightsaber glowing, following her. He was so close! Suddenly, she tripped, and the blaster she held in her hand tumbled out of her grasp. She looked up at the man chasing her, and screamed as the lightsaber began to descend…

“Rey!”

Poe shot upright on his cot, his heart racing, his breath coming in gasps. Lightning flashed through the canvas of the tent and he heard rain pounding on the soft surface. He looked around him wildly, still feeling the panic from the dream racing along his veins, making his heart pump and his breath hard to catch. It was a dream, he thought. Just a dream. Then why was the terror still there, still filling his senses?

Without thought, he threw off the sheet covering him and exited the tent, stepping out into the hard rain wearing nothing but his sleep pants. He searched the area around him, noting the few security lights set up throughout the camp, then focused on the upper cave where he knew Leia and Rey slept. He moved toward the caves, but as he did so, he saw a slim shape descend the stairs and head out into the jungle. Without hesitation, Poe followed.

She stopped near the gorge, an area he knew she often came to meditate, and she stood, her face tilted upward to the rain. Like him, she had obviously come straight from bed, as she wore nothing but a sleep shirt that came down to mid-thigh. It was soaked from the rain and plastered to her body.

“Rey?” he said softly, not wanting to startle her.

She jumped anyway, turning toward him, her eyes huge and luminous in the faint light coming from the camp. “What are you doing here?” she asked, sniffling.

“I had a dream,” he told her honestly. “That Ren was after you. That he was about to…” He paused. “He wasn’t really there, was he?”

Rey shook her head. “It was just a nightmare,” she explained. “One you apparently shared with me.”

Poe shook his head. “No,” he tried to deny. But, what if...? “How?”

She smiled softly. “You are very much Force sensitive, Poe Dameron,” she said. “It’s what makes you such an amazing pilot.” Her expression became a bit worried. “Somewhere along the way, you’ve managed to connect with me.”

The rain slowed as Poe digested her words. He again wanted to deny what she said, but he found he couldn’t. He had always felt such respect and deference to the Force, but he had never given any thought to being connected to it any more than any other lifeform. As the rain stopped, he noticed Rey shivering. “You’re cold,” he said, his own voice trembling. “You should get inside.”

She shook her head, looking back up toward the sky. “I needed to let it wash the darkness from me,” she whispered. “The rain does that.” She looked back at him. “Just like you do. Your light has always chased away the darkness in me, Poe.”

He shook his head. “There is no darkness in you, Rey.”

“There is,” she argued. “But you help keep it at bay.” She smiled suddenly. “Dance with me?” She held out a hand toward him.

Poe looked at her hand, then back at her. “Rey…”

“Please?”

Taking a deep breath, Poe moved forward and took her hand. She moved into him without hesitation, bringing her arm up around his shoulders and pressing close to him. He wrapped his arm around her, instinct demanding he hold her tight and keep her warm as she shivered once more. Slowly, they began to sway to the music of the forest around them. With the rain finished, the sounds of the wild things increased. Lightning still flashed, but the thunder that followed was farther and farther away. Poe felt Rey’s head drop down onto his shoulder, and he closed his eyes, breathing in deep her rain-washed scent.

“Leia knows,” she whispered. Poe tensed at her words, not surprised by them, but still disturbed. “I didn’t tell her,” Rey continued. “She guessed.” She lifted her head and moved back just enough to look at him. “Apparently, we’ve been acting ‘odd’ since Soelea.” She scoffed. “I can’t imagine why.”

Poe couldn’t help but smile at her sarcasm. “Finn figured it out, too,” he told her.

Rey nodded. “We aren’t very good actors, are we?”

“No, I guess not,” Poe agreed. He searched her face and watched as she bit her lower lip. His body, which was already on edge due to her closeness, reacted immediately.

Before he could pull away, she took a deep breath and said, “I love you.”

He froze, his heart racing.

“I know you don’t want this, that you don’t want me, not really…”

“Rey…”

“But I need you to know,” she continued. “I hope that knowing will help you not be afraid to love me back.”

“I’m not afraid to love you, Rey,” Poe corrected. “I’m afraid to lose you.”

Rey’s mouth dropped open and tears welled in her eyes. “I didn’t think… oh, Poe! I’m so sorry! You’ve lost so much.” She reached up and touched his face, her fingers cold from the rain, but oh, so gentle. She swallowed and dropped her head forward. He accepted the unspoken invitation, letting his forehead touch hers. “I understand why you’re afraid,” she continued. “But as I was just told earlier today, there is more to life than this war. We can’t stop living it because we’re afraid of loss.” She lifted her head to look at him again. “I love you, and I know you love me, and I’m not going to stop pestering you until you not only accept that fact but are happy about it!”

Poe couldn’t help but laugh at the determined expression on her face. He reached up to cup her face in his hands. “You know what? I believe you.” He took a deep breath. “And I do love you. So much.”

She smiled and he moved in to kiss her. She met him, bringing her arms up around his neck as he dropped his hands and pulled her close. He let his tongue tangle with hers, playing with her lips and exploring her mouth. She moaned and rubbed her body closer, then she pulled back, her expression wicked. “I want you, right now,” she whispered.

“It’s a little cold and wet out here, don’t you think?” he grinned.

“Well, my roommate needs her sleep, so my bed is out of the question. Where’s your roommate?”

“With the droid pool,” he told her. At her furrowed brow, he explained. “I don’t have a charger yet, so he has to go there every few nights to charge.”

“How lucky are we?” she smirked. “Looks like it’s your place.” Gripping his hand, she turned back toward the camp. He followed, picking up the pace as they moved under the lights in the camp. Soon, they were both running hand in hand, giggling madly as they raced for Poe’s tent.

Once inside, Rey’s wet shirt was quickly removed. Poe fondled her breasts as he pushed her gently toward his cot, kissing her the whole time. She sat down heavily on the edge of the cot, and he dropped to his knees on the ground in front of her, reaching for her underwear. As she lay back and lifted her hips to help him as he pulled them off, she muttered, “You have neighbors. I’ll have to be quiet this time.”

He snorted as he tossed her briefs over his shoulder. “Just Snap and Karè,” he said. “I really don’t mind if they hear you scream.” Rey lifted her head to glare at him and he grinned. “I really don’t care if they hear me scream, either.” With that, he pressed her thighs open and leaned forward, not wasting any time letting his lips and tongue get to work.

She squealed, not expecting such an attack. One of her hands landed on his head, her fingers gripping his wet hair as her hips rose off the cot. “Poe!”

Smiling, he continued his assault. He had tasted her before, of course, but tonight he was going to take his time. Fuck, she was amazing! Her body reacted as he hoped, and within seconds he tasted a fresh wave of her juices. He savored every drop. She was gasping, her hips wriggling madly. He placed a hand on her belly, pushing down, intent on keeping her still. The hand that wasn’t in his hair grabbed it, and their fingers laced together.

She was panting now, his name faintly audible every few gasps. Finally, he felt her whole body tense and she fell over the edge. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his datapad and commlink fall off of his trunk. “Kriff,” he heard her gasp. “I’ve gotta stop doing that!”

Laughing, he gave her one last wet kiss, then pushed himself onto his feet. Rising up on her elbows, she watched avidly as he undid the tie to his sleep pants and pulled them off, wincing as his erection caught for a brief moment on the waistband. As he stepped toward her, she pulled herself up further on the cot, laying her head back on his pillow. He crawled up, kneeling between her thighs.

“Sorry I don’t have a bigger cot,” he told her. “But I truly wasn’t expecting to have to share.”

She grinned as he hovered over her. “Well, I’m glad you changed your mind.”

Lowering himself down, he directed his cock toward her center, sliding in slowly. Rey’s eyes rolled back in her head as she moaned. “Oh, Force, yes!”

He leaned down further and kissed her, letting her adjust to him, then he pushed his upper body up with his arms and began to pump his hips. Rey raised her knees, gripping his waist, and Poe reveled in the sounds coming out of her mouth.

Suddenly, she started giggling. Poe opened his eyes and looked down at her. His ring was gently sweeping up and down along her sternum, occasionally swinging over to brush along her breasts, and it was obviously tickling her. He smiled down at her, then grabbed up the chain, putting it in his mouth without slowing his pace. But the ring had other ideas, and its weight pulled the chain back around his neck, lengthening it just enough for it to touch Rey’s chest again. Arching her back, she laughed and moaned all in one.

“Fuck it,” Poe said. “I got a better idea.” Slipping out of her, he sat back on his heels.

“What? Poe!”

He reached forward and gently grabbed her arms, then pulled her up into a sitting position. She gave him a curious look, eyebrows high. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the chain with his mother’s ring off over his head, then with a raised eyebrow of his own, he placed it over Rey’s head. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide.

As the ring settled between her perfect bare breasts, Rey gasped. “Poe?” she whispered. “Your good luck?”

“Is yours now,” he answered. “And when this war is over, if you would do me the honor, we can have an official ceremony and I can put it on your finger.”

Rey bit her lip as tears began to trail down her cheeks. She nodded. “When the war is over,” she said.

He leaned forward and kissed away the tears, then gently pushed her back. “Now, where were we?”

Grinning, she lifted her hips. He positioned himself back to where he had been and slid back into her wet warmth. Without hesitation, he began to drive himself into her again. He felt her raise her legs and wrap them around his lower back, locking him against her. The possessive action aroused him even further and his pace quickened. It wasn’t long before he fell over his own edge, and he became even more gratified when he felt her internal muscles squeezing him tight as she followed him over.

After they had both caught their breath, Poe stumbled out of the cot to find a washcloth, wetting it down with water from his private storage, and cleaned up the both of them. Then he pulled up his sheet and slipped under it, squeezing himself next to Rey on the tiny cot, resting his head on her shoulder, his nose nuzzling the top of her breast. One of her hands played with his hair, her fingers running gently through his curls, which were extra thick now that his hair was drying from the rain.

“Stay here,” he whispered. “Move in here with me.”

“I will,” she answered softly. “As long as you get a bigger cot.”

They both started laughing and Poe squeezed her gently. “Deal.” He kissed her chest tenderly. “I love you, Sunshine.” He closed his eyes.

“I love you, too, Kuutamo.”

Poe’s eyes shot open at the word, quickly searching his memory. It was Togruta, he knew. It meant… moonlight.

He swallowed, his throat suddenly thick, blinking away the tears that had formed in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he tightened his grip on the woman in his arms, closed his eyes, and fell asleep with a smile on his face.

******

Eleven Months Later

Tatooine

Rey Skywalker sat in the sand, watching the suns set, feeling peace wash over her. It had been a restful, tranquil day, and Force knows those were few and far between in her life. Though she did have hopes they would become more frequent now. The last couple of months had been full of highs and lows as the Resistance, working with surviving senators from the New Republic, had continued to battle the remnants of the First Order. A new government organization had formed, calling themselves the United Planetary Federation, and as of last week elections had taken place on hundreds of worlds to ensure proper representation in the new senate. The First Order had been declared obsolete and it quickly became illegal for any planet or colony to support them. With their leadership decimated, no one expected them to cause any more trouble… but the new UPF security force would be watching for them nonetheless.

Three days ago, Rey had finally left Brentaal IV, where the new government had settled, with the promise that she would return some day in the future with plans to develop a training center for Jedi. But until then, she told them, she needed to find her own peace, to continue to learn what she could of the Force and the people it surrounded, and to begin a life of her own free of servitude and war. The governing body had grudgingly agreed, but as Rey was reminded by more than one of her friends, there was really nothing they could do about it anyway.

Now, as she was on her way to that new life, she had made a stop here on Tatooine. It was the only way she could find to honor the two people who had helped her become who she was today, and who had sacrificed their lives for the greater good as she had almost done herself. By laying their lightsabers to rest here, where the Skywalker heritage had begun, she was showing her respect, and by taking their name, she would ensure the memory of their sacrifice lived on.

Taking a deep breath, Rey looked up and took note of the first star of the evening. She reached down and grabbed a handful of sand, still warm from the day’s heat, and let it sift through her fingers. She looked over at BB-8, who had been silently sitting close by, respecting her desire for quiet. She smiled at him, and he tilted his head, his photoreceptor focused on her intently, as it so often was. She nodded. “Let’s go.”

He trilled as she stood, dusting sand off her butt and lower legs, then they turned as one and headed back toward the old YT-1300 freighter parked not too far from the old Lars homestead. Rey gave the old house a sad smile; apparently, the locals believed it to be haunted, which was why no one had taken over the small moisture farm since Owen and Beru Lars had been murdered by Tusken Raiders almost forty years ago. Of course, the few people who knew the real story kept the truth to themselves; no one would believe it anyway.

Rey followed BB-8 up the Millennium Falcon’s ramp, and once she reached the top she closed the hatch behind her, sensing the presence of the only other lifeform on board easily. She and the orange and white droid moved along the corridor, BB-8 following the sharp curse word that sounded up the way, Rey following her heart. They moved into the main hold, both stopping at the edge of the open maintenance hatch. Rey slid down to sit on the edge, her feet hanging over the side.

“How’s it going?” she asked, trying to keep the laughter out of her voice.

“Fuck!” Poe Dameron responded, his dark head appearing from behind the crank case. “Remember how I used to say how much I loved this ship?” he asked as he looked up at her. “Remind me why I used to say that?”

Biting her lip, Rey shook her head. “Because she’s a legend and you still think flying her is the best thing since frozen Koyo pops?”

His dark eyes glared up balefully at her, one eyebrow raised.

Rey tried not to laugh, but finally she started giggling. He smiled back at her, then moved to pull himself gracefully up on the rim of the compartment, turning to face her from the opposite side.

“Did you get your last task done?” he asked softly.

She nodded. “I did. I’m ready to start my new life, now.” She paused. “That is, if the Falcon can make it?”

Poe scoffed. “Of course, she can!” he exclaimed. “There’s no way she’s going to make us miss our own party!”

Rey laughed softly. “Somehow, I don’t think they’ll even have a party if we’re not there.”

Poe gave her ‘the serious face.’ “Don’t count on it. When the folks of Wetyin’s Colony decide they’re having a party, nothing’s going to stop them, even if the bride and groom never show.”

Still grinning, Rey said, “Well, we better make it. It is our wedding, after all.”

Poe gave her a soft smile. “I can’t wait for Dad to finally meet you. He is going to be so thrilled.”

“To meet a Jedi?” she asked.

He shook his head. “To meet his daughter.”

Rey couldn’t hide her excitement. “I can’t wait to meet him, too.”

Poe jumped up, walking around the edge of the compartment and holding his hand out to her. “Then let’s go, Sunshine.”

Grabbing his hand, she let him help lift her to her feet. Moving in close, she nuzzled his nose with hers. “Let’s go home, Kuutamo.”

THE END